Comments on More Cooper clippings

More clippings, including all the Cooper-related Chicago Tribune items dug up so far, in chronological order. Some of these were posted out of order in another thread.

________________________________

April 30, 1930 census data: employed as advertising copywriter; rents at 282 Bellevue Place in Cook County, Chicago, IL; lives with wife Emily C. (born in Illinois, age 24, father born in Scotland, mother born in New York) and divorced, unemployed brother-in-law Kenneth Beveridge (an advertising salesman, born in New York, age 36, married at age 28); the household has a radio set.________________________________

[June 29, 1933 Chicago Tribune]

... The cast of "Tales of the Foreign Legion," popular Columbia feature, is enjoying a five week furlough. They return to the air with WBBM as outlet at 9:30 p. m. Sunday, Feb. 19. ...________________________________

[October 14, 1934 Chicago Tribune]

... Willis Cooper, author of those horrifying "Lights Out" ghost dramas at NBC is writing a novel. An interested publisher has induced him to begin work on a long promised opus. ...________________________________

[December 27, 1934 Chicago Tribune]

Under the title "Immortal Dramas" epic stories of the Old Testament are to be brought to the air in a dramatized series of programs over coast to coast NBC networks, probably beginning Sunday, Jan. 13. Sponsored by Montgomery, Ward & Co., these biblical presentations call for a cast of more than 80 persons for each presentation. The actors are yet to be chosen. Roy Shield's orchestra will provide the musical background with the assistance of Noble Cain and his a capella choir. Harvey Hays will be the narrator.

Lloyd Lewis will adapt the biblical tales for radio presentation. The story of David and Goliath has been scheduled for the premiere of the series. WMAQ will be the local outlet and the program will run from 1 to 1:30 Sunday afternoons.________________________________

[January 20, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

The new Ward program, "Immortal Dramas," is an exceptional piece of dramatic work. Those great stories of the Old Testament really come to life in this new [half] hour. It makes a fine addition to Sunday afternoon radio fare. The program is in perfect taste for a program utilizing the scriptures. There is no sales talk -- in fact, no commercial copy. ________________________________

[January 23, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

"Lights Out," that Wednesday midnight horror series written by Willis Cooper, NBC continuity ace, will be restored on Jan. 30.________________________________

[January 25, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

After television things like this won't be allowed: On last Sunday's "Immortal Drama" program at NBC the story of David and Goliath was dramatized. Tall slim Bill Farnum as David towered over squat Cliff Soubier as Goliath. ...________________________________

[After the January 2, 1935 episode, judging by the Chicago Tribune's radio listings, "Lights Out" is off the air for the rest of the month. The Trib reports on January 23 that the series will return January 30 but doesn't mention the program in its daily radio schedule until February 6. From then until April 10 (the last local broadcast before switching to the network) the paper lists some episode titles:]

02-06-1935 Lost in the Catacombs02-13-1935 The Death Cell02-20-1935 The Mine of Lost Skulls02-27-1935 x

03-06-1935 After Five O'Clock03-13-1935 Sepulzeda's Revenge03-20-1935 The Haunted Chair03-27-1935 Submarine

04-03-1935 x04-10-1935 Play Without a Name________________________________

[February 9, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

Fifty members of Evanston's Lights Out club got more than they bargained for the other midnight when they came to NBC studios to view Bill Cooper's macabre "Lights Out" broadcast. This week's episode concerned a honeymooning couple lost in the Roman catacombs. Studio lights are doused during the broadcast, only two narrow beams playing on the actors themselves. The studio sound experts gave Evanstonians a nice case of jitters.________________________________

[March 13, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

Willis Cooper, NBC continuity chief and author of those gruesome "Lights Out" productions heard at midnight Wednesdays over WENR, has spent a most unhappy week. Hard boiled radio listeners have been kicking about last week's playlet, "After Five O'Clock," saying it was too mild. Some have charged him with going soft. Other gluttons for the macabre have gone so far as to brand him a sissy. Cooper admits that last week's opus wasn't quite up to standard -- it concerned a guy harassed by his subconscious mind and wound up mildly with three suicides. Cooper's plea was that he was merely trying to mix them up a bit. [A version of this episode survives from the 1945 revival season of "Lights Out" under the title "Man in the Middle"]

Cooper brooded for several days and then resolved to give them something they would remember him by. Tonight he will present his masterpiece of fiendishness which he calls "Sepulzeda's Revenge." "It will satisfy all who insist on HORROR with capital letters," Cooper said yesterday. In this one, Cooper warms up on a cleaver and trunk murder and tops it off with an episode in which a husband beheads his wife. Last Wednesday night Willis didn't rest well but tonight he will sleep like a baby. ...________________________________

[March 20, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

"How do I die this time?" Sidney Ellstrom inquired yesterday of Willis Cooper, author of the macabre "Lights Out" series heard Wednesday at midnight on WENR-NBC. "A ghost strangles you in 'The Haunted Chair,'" Cooper replied. "Fine," said Ellstrom, returning to his business for the day.

He has been put to death in this show more than 100 times. And his endings have all been grisly and gruesome. He's been skinned alive, boiled in oil, devoured by a man eating jungle plant, strangled by a vampire. He has been drowned, electrocuted, poisoned, buried alive, decapitated and dismembered.

But sometimes his work is sweet. Now and then Author Cooper turns the tables and allows Ellstrom to get revenge on his persecutors, usually portrayed by Art Jacobson, Don Briggs, Bernardine Flynn, Betty Lou Gerson, or Betty Winkler, other members of the "Lights Out" cast. Once, for example, as a Chinese madman, he was given a chance to inflict "death" through a thousand slashes on Jacobson, usually one of his most fervid annihilators. ...________________________________

[March 21, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... "Immortal Dramas," those old testament stories, will go off the air early in April. ...________________________________

[April 7, 1935 Chicago Tribune - the Trib's regular radio columnist writes a few sentences about various Chicago-based radio series:]

CHICAGO SHOWS ARE CHOSEN FOR BRIEF COMMENT

by Larry Wolters

... LIGHTS OUT--Murder at midnight. Sound effects that freeze the blood. It may only be a head of cabbage in the studio, but it's red with gore when you hear its dull thud on the floor, by way of the loudspeaker. ...________________________________

[April 10, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

Willis Cooper's gristly [sic] "Lights Out" program, for many months heard locally, on Wednesday at midnight will become a network feature next week. It will be aired a half hour earlier locally in order to keep New Yorkers from staying up most of the night to catch it. Tonight Cooper is presenting "Play Without a Name." He couldn't think of a title that would do its horror justice.________________________________

[April 19, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... Mrs. Frank Bering, the former Joan Winters, is playing leading parts in NBC's "Lights Out." She portrayed the countess in Wednesday evening's show. [refers to the series' network premiere, which was April 17] ...________________________________

[April 28, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... "Lights Out," ... which was dropped because Author Willis Cooper had too much other work to do, was restored on WENR at the insistence of thousands of followers. Then it was piped to New York for a test. Eastern executives thought it was too tough for Manhattan, but after uniformly favorable criticism by New York critics they had a change of heart and are now trying it out across the nation. But they're starting in easy -- using ghost and spook stories. The gory yarns are out for the present. Incidentally, Ted Sherdeman is producing the shows and doing a slick job of it at 11:30 now Wednesday. ...________________________________

[June 22, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... Willis Cooper who writes the ghostly "Lights Out" series is the author of a new serial titled "Flying Time" designated for its first presentation at 5 p.m. next Monday over NBC. It concerns aviation and has an airport setting.________________________________

[July 2, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... Willis Cooper's Flying Time was launched last week. ...________________________________

[July 21, 1935 Chicago Tribune photo caption]

Things look bad -- but they'll be worse. Betty Winkler is the lady in distress and Don Briggs (right) is plotting destruction for Sidney Ellstrom (center). They are reaching the awful climax of a Lights Out episode, heard Wednesday nights on NBC.________________________________

[August 1, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

Realistic sound effects for NBC's radio serial "Flying Time," will be provided by the roar of the world's fastest racing planes when the Aug. 30 and Sept. 2 shows are broadcast from the Cleveland airport during the National Air races. The scripts for the two broadcasts which will originate from the flying field will be written at the airport and will be prepared so as to include much of the action of the air races. They will also bring to the microphone as guest performers many famous pilots, including Jimmy Doolittle, Roscoe Turner, Jimmy and May Haislip [sic] and Al Williams. ...________________________________

[August 24, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

Willis Cooper, who writes the macabre "Lights Out" show at NBC, will be a special guest of the Belfry Players when they present one of his "Lights Out" plays in the Belfry theater at Williams Bay, Wis., Monday evening. This theater really is an old church, built by Mormons about 1850. It still contains the original pews, oil lamps, and furnishings and is a point of historical interest in the Lake Geneva district. ...________________________________

[August 29, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

Willis Cooper has turned in his resignation as continuity chief at local NBC offices to devote his time to writing "Lights Out," chill and horror show, and "Flying Time," a juvenile thriller. With other members of the "Flying Time" cast Cooper left yesterday for Cleveland, where the program will be aired from the airport during the national air races. Loretta Poynton, Willard Farnum, Ted Maxwell, and Harold Perry made the trip with him. ...________________________________

[September 11, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... Larry Holcomb, who handled Mrs. Roosevelt's NBC commercial series last year, is the new continuity chief at Chicago NBC offices. He succeeded Willis Cooper, who resigned to devote his time his own shows -- "Lights Out" and "Flying Time." ... ________________________________

[September 30, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

Radio Talk for Matrix Club

Willis Cooper, radio writer, will talk on "Continuity Writers as the Continuity Editors See Them" before members of the Matrix club at 7:30 o'clock tonight at 75 East Wacker drive. ...________________________________

[October 24, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... Willis Cooper, formerly continuity editor at NBC, gave up the job to do free lancing with the view that he would have more time for recreation. But he is finding little time for rest -- he is writing five episodes a week of "Flying Time," an aviation serial; five of "Betty and Bob," another serial, and also turning out a play a week for the macabre "Lights Out" series. On top of that he journeys to Des Moines each Sunday to produce a show there.________________________________

[October 27, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

DAYTIME SHOWS DRENCHED WITH BEAUTY PALAVER

Morning Listening Tough for Males

by Larry Wolters

... "Painted Dreams," Clara, Lu, 'n' Em, Vic and Sade, "Today's Children," and "Flying Time" are among those [daytime serials] for which one hears much enthusiasm expressed by various types of listeners. ...________________________________

[November 6, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... Bill Cooper's goose pimpler "Lights Out," switches from WENR to WMAQ-NBC at 11:30 tonight. Bill has turned out a spine chiller about a lady who comes back to haunt succeeding generations of a family for tonight. Every time she appears the youngest son dies. ...________________________________

[November 20, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... The shakeup in the cast of Betty and Bob continues. Elizabeth Reller has replaced Beatrice Churchill as Betty. A couple of months ago Les Tremayne supplanted Don Ameche in the leading man role. ...________________________________

[December 25, 1935 Chicago Tribune]

... 11:30 p. m. - WMAQ - "Lights Out," a Christmas play about three men in France. ...________________________________

[January 5, 1936 Chicago Tribune, letter to the radio column]

A CHANGE NEEDED.

Why have the characters in Betty and Bob been changed recently? I feel that both the former and present characters have tried their best to make the story interesting, but what really needs a change is the story itself.

ALICE AGNE, Chicago.________________________________

[January 28, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

... Betty and Bob, NBC serial, has been renewed by its sponsor for another solid year. ...________________________________

[March 9, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

A new spine chilling series which will surely rival NBC's "Lights Out" is to be launched over W-G-N at 8:45 tomorrow night under the title "Witch's Tale." The program also will be heard Wednesday evening at the same hour. First story will be "Frankenstein." "The Hairy Monster," "The Werewolf," and "Grave Yard Mansion" are others to follow. ________________________________

[March 28, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

... Bill Cooper, who writes "Lights Out," "Flying Time," and "Betty and Bob," will leave for California for the summer, May 1. He will continue his writing while in the west. ... ________________________________

[April 23, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

Willis Cooper will leave for Hollywood next Tuesday to write dialog for the movies. He will continue to write the radio serial "Betty and Bob," and the horror series, "Lights Out," on the coast.________________________________

[May 13, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

... Willis Cooper is still writing "Lights Out" and "Flying Time" for radio production here, while turning out movie dialog in the west. ...________________________________

[May 28, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

... Bill Cooper, who writes Flying Time and Lights Out, has been signed by the 20th Century-Fox pictures to write dialog. That's the same studio for which Don Ameche is working. ...________________________________

[June 4, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

... William Murphy has taken over the writing of the NBC serial "Flying Time," aired from Chicago studios. Willis Cooper, the previous author, had to give it up because his movie writing is taking up all of his time. ...________________________________

[June 6, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

Arch Oboler, young Chicago playwright, is the new author of "The Lights Out" [sic] horror series on NBC succeeding Willis Cooper who has gone to Hollywood. Oboler also writes Irene Rich's "Lady Counselor" sketches. ...________________________________

[November 11, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

Armistice day programs on W-G-N include: ... 9:30 -- special Armistice program with a sketch by Francis Coughlin, reading of Willis Cooper's "Unknown Soldier" by Hugh Studebaker, and a special musical setting by Leo Shukin and Harold Stokes, who will direct the program. ... [photo of actor Hugh Studebaker]________________________________

[November 13, 1936 Chicago Tribune]

Hugh Studebaker's reading of Bill Cooper's poem to "The Unknown Soldier" on W-G-N Wednesday evening was a noble piece of work. If only the multitudinous rhapsodizers who are jostling each other on the airlanes nowadays might have been tuning in! There was a real lesson for them. ...________________________________

[April 29, 1937 Chicago Tribune]

On the eve of the general observance of National Music week on the airlanes W-G-N is to present a gala three-part broadcast from 9 to 10:30 tonight over the coast to coast Mutual Broadcasting system. The special broadcast, in which the concert orchestra under Henry Weber, the dance orchestra under Harold Stokes and with Paul Whiteman as guest leader, distinguished soloists, and an outstanding dramatic cast directed by Blair Walliser are to participate, will be presented from W-G-N's big audience studio before a gathering of business, civic and social leaders. ...

... Brewster Morgan, who takes over production reins from Fred Ibbett on "Hollywood Hotel" May 15, has been signed to a year's contract at a reported salary of $500 a week. He will also collaborate on the scripts with Willis Cooper. ...________________________________

[August 17, 1938 The Lowell Sun]

Nod for the music spot on Hollywood hotel, returning September 9, went to Victor Young last week after Ward Wheelock, agency head, studied several other candidates, including Lud Gluskin and Harry Sosnik. Raymond Paige batoned the soup show for the past three years.

William Powell has been signed to m.c. the show for three years in 39-week stanzas. Joins the program after the sixth broadcast, with some other picture name filling in meanwhile.

Vocalists will be Frances Langford, only holdover from last season, and Jean Sablon, French tenor.________________________________

[September 6, 1938 Christian Science Monitor]

Change in Program

In an almost complete change of program, "Hollywood Hotel," one of the oldest sponsored programs, resumes its current season beginning Friday Sep. 9, at 9 p. m. over the CBS to WEEI combination.

Practically the only holdover from the old program is Frances Langford. Herbert Marshall, English screen star, will be master of ceremonies for the first six programs and will be followed by William Powell. Instead of presenting excerpts from current films as done previously, full-length dramatizations of successful stage and screen productions will be the policy this year. Accordingly Claudette Colbert will appear with Herbert Marshall in B. B. Trevelyan's "Dark Angel."

Teamed with Frances Langford will be Jean Sablon, French crooner, and Victor Young's Orchestra will continue to supply the musical program.________________________________

[September 8, 1938 Long Beach Independent]

... "Hollywood Hotel," premier musical and dramatic program, will return to the Columbia network from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., with a program featuring Herbert Marshall as master-of-ceremonies, and Claudette Colbert as guest artist in a full-length dramatization of the motion picture "Dark Angel," in which Marshall appeared on the screen. The "Orchid Room" revue welcomes back lovely Frances Langford as its singing star, and the romantic French troubadour, Jean Sablon. Victor Young, talented composer-conductor, will direct his orchestra in new and unusual arrangements. This broadcast marks the beginning of "Hollywood Hotel's" fifth year on the CBS network. ...________________________________

[September 9, 1938 Lima News (OH)]

Herbert Marshall Will Head "Hollywood Hotel" Hour Cast

Cinema Player To Act As Master Of Ceremonies And Have Role In Weekly Dramatizations

Herbert Marshall will head as master-of-ceremonies, an array of musical stars including Frances Langford, Jean Sablon and Victor Young's Orchestra, as well as prominent guests, on "Hollywood Hotel," programs which return to WABC from 8 to 9 p.m. Friday.

"Hollywood Hotel," which is now entering its fifth year, will adopt a new format this season. Each week the "Orchid Room" will present Marshall in a full-length dramatization based on successful stage and screen productions or outstanding fiction. Prominent actresses of the stage and screen will be cast opposite the popular leading man.

Marshall will act as master-of-ceremonies and dramatic star for the first six programs. He is to be succeeded by William Powell beginning Friday, Oct. 21.

The musical revue accompanying the dramatic performances will feature the "blues" singing of Frances Langford, who has been a member of "Hollywood Hotel" almost from the beginning. During the past summer Frances (Mrs. Jon Hall) has been combining an extensive personal appearance tour thruout the country with a belated honeymoon.

Teamed with the "blues" singer will be Jean Sablon, handsome French troubadour. Paris born, Sablon made an enviable name in Paris theatres, clubs and music halls before coming to this country. His winning manner and unusual style of singing both English and French songs have won the praise of critics wherever he has appeared.

Victor Young's orchestra will accompany the singing stars. Young, who has one of the outstanding musical organizations of the country, has been prominently featured on the west coast both in radio and motion pictures. Altho noted for his work in the popular field, Young's training has been primarily classical. He studied violin before he was five years old and made his first public appearance with the Warsaw Philharmonic orchestra. One of the most prolific arrangers in the musical world, he has also written several of the outstanding song hits of recent years. ...________________________________

[September 22, 1938 The Lowell Sun]

... Brewster Morgan, the producer at the helm of the newly-revamped "Hollywood Hotel" program. Morgan, a Phi Beta Kappa and former Rhodes scholar-at-large, organized a little theatre during his pre-Oxford days at the University of Kansas, later directed the series of Shakespearean plays annually presented by the students of Oxford university in England, before returning to the professional legitimate stage in this country, then going into radio. ...________________________________

[November 4, 1938 Appleton Post-Crescent (OH)]

William Powell, Miriam Hopkins and Charles Butterworth will present a radio version of "Trouble in Paradise" on Hollywood Hotel program at 8 o'clock over WBBM and WCCO.________________________________

[November 11, 1938 Appleton Post-Crescent (OH)]

In observance of the 20th anniversary of the Armistice, "Journey's End", war play by R. C. Sheriff, will be dramatized on Hollywood Hotel program at 8 o'clock over WBBM and WCCO. The cast will include William Powell, Burgess Meredith, H. B. Warner and Melville Cooper.________________________________

[November 17, 1938 Lima News (OH)]

Diana Bourbon has been retained to produce the Orson Welles Mercury Theatre of the Air when it starts for the soup sponsor as a replacement for Brewster Morgan's production, "Hollywood Hotel." ... Two sponsors began to make bids for Frances Langford's services within a few hours after the announcement that "Hollywood Hotel" would close its doors. The songstress expects to make her decision by the time she closes an engagement at a San Francisco theatre this week. ...________________________________

[November 25, 1938 Appleton Post-Crescent (OH)]

William Powell, Gale Page and C. Aubrey Smith will be heard in a radio version of "Death Takes a Holiday" on Hollywood Hotel program at 8 o'clock over WBBM and WCCO. As an added feature, "Amos 'n' Andy" will present a dramatization of their own lives.________________________________

[December 2, 1938 Christian Science Monitor]

Passing of the "Hollywood Hotel" program at 9 on the Columbia network brings to an end a program which, like the Rudy Vallee hour, or "Amos 'n' Andy," was a style setter. For "Hollywood Hotel" probably was the first radio program to bring movie stars to the air in some sort of co-ordinated entertainment instead of the chitter-chatter interviews formerly affected. It brought an end to the "amazement era" when radio listeners began to discover that movie stars on the radio sounded like a lot of other people and wanted to know what else they could do. It was responsible for such programs as Cecil B. DeMille's Radio Theatre, the Silver Theatre, and the MGM "Good News" programs of movie entertainment. Orson Welles takes over the period next week with a whole hour devoted to drama.

Tonight's drama on WEEI will be a favorite, "The Canary Murder Case." It will bring William Powell to the microphone again in the role of Philo Vance, which he originated on the screen. In support will be Glenda Farrell, Humphrey Bogart, Charles Butterworth, and Thomas Mitchell.________________________________

Fall 1938 episodes of HOLLYWOOD HOTEL:

09-09 to 10-14 Herbert Marshall hosts and acts10-21 to 12-02 William Powell hosts and acts

... 9, WMAL--Edmund Lowe, Sergeant Quirt of "What Price Glory?" and star of many other films has the lead in four consecutive broadcasts of "You're in the Army Now" telling of life in one of Uncle Sam's training camps. ...________________________________

[February 2, 1941 Washington Post]

Networks Entertain While They Inform of National Defense Effort

... On Monday evenings at 9 WMAL programs a half-hour feature, "You're in the Army Now," a continued dramatization of serial characters whose predicaments are often humorous. ...________________________________

The American Schools and Colleges association has announced its annual radio awards based on a poll of more than 150 educational and civic leaders. The awards, said Kenneth J. Beebe, president, are made "to encourage radio to strive for public service and public enlightenment thru intelligent programming." ... Classification and winners are: ... dramatic -- Theatre Guild of the Air (ABC), Quiet, Please (Mutual); ...________________________________

[May 8, 1949 Chicago Tribune]

NEW TELEVISION SHOW TO FOLLOW PATTERN OF QUIET, PLEASE!

Willis Cooper, radio writer, will write, direct, and star in a new weekly series titled Volume One, Numbers One to Six, over the full TV facilities of the American Broadcasting company beginning early next month.

The half hour programs will consist of dramas patterned after radio's Quiet, Please episodes broadcast by ABC on Sunday afternoons. The dramas will be aimed at adult audiences.

Cooper originated the chiller series Lights Out, writing and directing the show in Chicago from 1933 [sic] to 1936. Then he moved to Hollywood and worked as a film writer. During World War II., he wrote and produced the Army hour.

Here's the latest clippings, mostly about 1930s stuff like "Lights Out" and some blurbs about the "Betty and Bob" soap opera from the period when Cooper was writing it.

________________________________

[January 19, 1935 Newsweek]

OLD TESTAMENT: David and Goliath Fight It Out Again

The world's all-time best-selling book has finally wooed and won a radio sponsor. Last Sunday afternoon, Montgomery-Ward, the world's second largest mail-order company, presented the first of a series of dramatizations of the Old Testament. Twenty-eight National Broadcasting Co. stations, from coast to coast, broadcast the program.

In WMAQ, Chicago's NBC station in the Merchandise Mart Building, 80 performers re-enacted the story of David and Goliath. The Windy City's biggest radio production had station executives dizzy. There was barely enough room left in Studio A for the 26-piece orchestra. "Israelites and Philistines" swarmed through corridors and offices. Carpenters hurriedly slapped together a makeshift high stool for the production man, so all performers could see him.

So enthusiastic were sponsors about their latest network show, that they recorded a preview performance and air-mailed the disks to New York City headquarters in the RCA Building. Here the performance was transmitted over telephone lines to 75 monitor loudspeakers in NBC offices.

Executives and radio editors found the advance biblical broadcast thrilling. The old tale had the elements of a 1935 talkie spectacle. Lloyd Lewis, Chicago Daily News's dramatic critic and playwright-collaborator of Sinclair Lewis, adapted the story for radio presentation.

Goliath roared through the microphone in the best Wallace Beery style. David's shrill but confident voice made him a plausible hero. A continuous musical background supplied tonal atmosphere. Richard Strauss's "Don Juan" served to introduce the giant, Goliath. Cesar Franck's Symphony in D minor and Ottovino Respighi's "Pines of Rome" helped "to build the mental picture of the Israelite and Philistine hosts massed in the Vale of Elah."

Listeners heard the immortal slingshot battle of the centuries between the radio Goliath, who stands only 5 feet 5, and David, portrayed by an actor 3 inches taller than his "giant" foe.

"The best part of this show," commented NBC, "is that there are no interrupting commercial announcements. The sponsors name is given only at the start and finish of the program."________________________________

[April 12, 1935 Syracuse Herald - Contrary to the article, "Lights Out" was actually off the air for several weeks circa January 1935.]

Horrors for Night Owls

NBC to Bring Dramatic Chillers From Chicago to Network

"Lights Out," a series of ghost and horror dramas which has thrilled and chilled midnight listeners for more than a year, will come to an NBC-WEAF network Wednesday night, as a regular feature.

Broadcast at the late hour of 12:30 A. M., "Lights Out" is distinctly not a program for the children, nor for adults who are faint of heart. Critics have declared that it achieves the ultimate in horror, not only in radio, but in any form of dramatic presentation.

However, the [...?] Chicago, like it. When the program was off the air for two weeks last fall because Willis Cooper, the author, was too busy to write it, the station presenting the feature was overwhelmed with protests. Cooper says that no matter how macabre are the dramas he writes, listeners always want them more so.

________________________________

[April 20, 1935 Newsweek]

HORROR: Bedtime Blood-Curdlers With Realistic Sound Effects

For horror dramas, radio directors usually choose late hours. Scary children are asleep. And many adults -- sick of crooning, Harlem jazz, and political harangues -- welcome the change. Half an hour after midnight Wednesday, the National Broadcasting Co. aired on WEAF the first of a series of blood-curdlers, "Lights Out." Officials call it "the ultimate in horror."

Willis Cooper, 36-year-old script author, supervises NBC continuities in the Chicago area. "Lights Out" has run over WENR there for a year. His theory:

"I think the horror slant is good in radio. On the stage there is little difference between the horrible and the ludicrous. Radio hits ears only. Listeners build their own pictures."

Cooper creates his horror-illusions by raiding the larder. Maple syrup dripping on a plate suggests the plopping of blood from a wound. To split a man's skull Cooper drives a cleaver through a head of cabbage. To crush bones he pounds raw spareribs.

The program has violent effects on some listeners. Last month one fan telephoned WENR that "Lights Out" made his mother faint. A suburban woman called a police car to her home: "I was frightened out of my wits."

But many fans cry for "more cannibalism." Cooper reaches for another cabbage head and gives it to them.________________________________

[October 5, 1935 Bismarck Tribune]

Betty and Bob Safety Program Commended

W. H. Cameron, managing director of the National Safety Council, Western Division, has released an official statement in which he said, in regard to the present series of episodes of the well-known Betty and Bob show, "No better means could be used to dramatize to all of us the growing menace of the auto accident problem. I commend this program and urge mothers and fathers everywhere to listen to it."

In the present Betty and Bob sequence, Bobby, the two-year-old baby of these famous characters is struck by a hit-and-run driver. The story is built around the efforts of Betty and Bob and a famous surgeon to save the baby's life, and the pursuit and bringing to justice of the hit-and-run driver.________________________________

[December 15, 1935 Los Angeles Times "Rhaps and Rhapsodies" column, a 1930s version of TVGuide's "Cheers and Jeers" column]

... Rhap to the continuity man who turns out the "Betty and Bob" series. The title characters are referred to by name in practically every line of dialogue. The repetition is boresome. ...

________________________________

[January 15, 1935 Los Angeles Times "Rhaps and Rhapsodies" column]

... There is little excuse for employing grown-ups to play kid parts on the air when so many talented child actors are available. The most flagrant example of the hoax appeared in a recent episode of "Betty and Bob" ...

________________________________

[February 2, 1936 Washington Post "High Frequencies" radio column]

... "Betty and Bob" has been renewed as a WMAL feature for another year. It is believed to hold a record for mail of definite approval and disapproval. The listener is never indifferent to the situations of the characters.________________________________

[June 2, 1941 Time Magazine article with photo of Cooper. The caption reads: NBC's Cooper / This time he's serious.]

Mouths South

Month ago Merlin Hall ("Deac") Aylesworth acquired the title of DRAOCCCR-BAR, New Deal for Director of Radio Activities in the Office for Coordination of Commercial & Cultural Relations Between the American Republics. In plain English: chief of the radio sector of the Hemisphere Solidarity campaign.

Deac Aylesworth's immediate job is to let as much light as possible into the murk beclouding the average U.S. citizen's notion of life Down There; also to see that southbound programs do not conflict, hurt anybody's feelings or suffer from the dreary blight of what is known as "education" -- in general, to make them make sense.

"The National Farm and Home Hour," ventured the Deacon, "would not make much sense in Uruguay."

Meantime, while radio's pioneer ringmaster (ten years president of NBC) was readying a comprehensive air program between the U.S. and Latin America, U.S. broadcasters voluntarily came forth with two of their most impressive stunts in ten years of more or less catch-as-catch-can short-waving back & forth across the Rio Grande. Initiated by the two major networks were two series of regular weekly half-hour shows.

CBS's Calling Pan-America (4 p.m. Saturday, E.D.S.T.) began with a broadcast from Buenos Aires and will jump each week from Latin-American capital to capital, featuring local talent which will be mostly musical but also oratorical. Columbia's initial effort celebrated Argentina's 131-year-old Independence Day. NBC for its 22 Good Neighbors shows (10:30 p.m. Thursday, E.D.S.T.) threw in Dr. Frank Black and his 60-piece orchestra, a troop of some 20 actors and the gilt-edged intonings of Announcer Milton Cross. It will broadcast from Manhattan with appropriate guest diplomats on duty in Washington, and every week the program will be tailored to a different Latin-American country.

It is safe to predict that neither program will be as sensational as the career of Wyllis Cooper, veteran radio dramaturge who writes NBC's show. From 1933 to 1936 Radioman Cooper wrote and directed the silo-of-blood programs called Lights Out. Late at night, so children couldn't hear them and have their little livers scared out of them, they gushed from Chicago's WMAQ and were beyond doubt the most goose-fleshing chiller-dillers in air history. At each broadcast's opening a deep, dark, dank voice would instruct listeners to put their lights out and settle back in their chairs, whereupon gore would commence to flow, bones to snap, screams and groans to rowel the air.

Lights Out was a sound-effect's man's paradise. On one occasion the audible illusion of a victim's hand being smashed on an anvil had to be achieved. Everything was tried from slapping a pork chop with a cleaver to pounding wet paper with a hammer. At last came triumph: a lemon was laid on an anvil and struck with a small sledge.

Another time there was the problem of the exact noise of a man being skinned alive: pulling apart stuck-together pieces of adhesive tape was the solution. Beheading acoustics were attained by slicing cantaloupes with a cleaver. Fingers were scissored off by substituting pencils for fingers. Dropping a raw egg on a plate simulated perfectly the blup of an eye-gouging. Flowing corn syrup furnished the voop-vulp of freely flowing blood. When a mechanical giant pulled a wretch's arm off, the leg of a cold storage chicken was pulled off beside the mike.

There were about 600 Lights Out clubs in the U.S. when Mr. Cooper stopped writing the show to go to Hollywood to do picture scripts. A Kansas City, Mo. chapter whose meeting he attended had officers and by-laws and fined any member who spoke or lit a cigaret during broadcasts.

In appearance and character Cooper belies his ghastly army of brain children. A short roly-poly of 42, resembling nothing so much as an amiable Alexander Woollcott on a smaller scale, he is a dutiful husband,* an ardent dog-lover, an amiable drinker, and loved by his friends. Despite Latin-American fondness for the sanguine (bullfights, the annually-produced slaughter melodrama Don Juan Tenorio, the "Day of the Dead," etc.), Cooper will not in his new job employ his Lights Out talent. "This one's in earnest," he says.

* He changed his name from Willis to Wyllis to please his wife's numerological inclinations.

________________________________

[December 6, 1941 Chicago Tribune - "Spirit of '41" was the nonfiction series about national defense to which Cooper contributed. The episode described here was scheduled for the following day: December 7 -- Pearl Harbor.]

The naval intelligence department, CBS announced yesterday, has given the network permission to present its "Spirit of 41" broadcast at 1 p. m. Sunday from the Brooklyn navy yard. CBS broadcasters, the report said, had been granted permission "to describe in considerable detail repairs being made at the yard to damaged warships." Not long ago the Navy department imposed a censorship on news of this type.________________________________

[July 24, 1942 Chicago Tribune gossip column item. The columnist seems to be confused: Cooper never directed a motion picture and, in July '42, he was not in Hollywood but in New York working on "The Army Hour" radio series.]

... Virginia Payne, who takes the role of Ma Perkins on the radio, and who's just home from a vacation in Hollywood, adds another tale to the amazing way things work in the motion picture business. She was being shown the various writers' offices by her old friend, Willis Cooper, formerly of Chicago and now a director in Hollywood. As they passed the row of men writing away like mad, Willis commented bitterly, "That fellow is a graduate of Dartmouth, the next one went to Notre Dame, the next to the University of Wisconsin. I never went to college at all, so the first job I get is to direct a picture of college life."

[According to the American Film Institute, one of Cooper's first screenwriting jobs at 20th Century-Fox was to contribute to "screenplay construction" for a college musical, released in the fall of 1936, called "Pigskin Parade" (which, among other things, was Judy Garland's feature film debut). The AFI credits Cooper for two other Fox musicals (both released in '37): "Wild and Woolly" (contributing writer) and "She Had to Eat" (contributing writer, although his material may not have been used in the finished film).]________________________________

[May 28, 1947 Dixon Evening Telegraph, syndicated column item]

DAY by DAY ON THE AIR by C. E. Butterfield

... MBS, from June 8, "Quiet Please", a variation of the former Lights Out stories [is the summer replacement] for Juvenile Jury. The change in title apparently is due to the fact that the program will be in the afternoon instead of at night. ...________________________________

Thanks for a great and informative site. Had heard our family talk of Willis Cooper (a cousin of my grandmother's), but never realized his skill and standing in the radio "horror" field. This will prompt me to laearn more!

[Here's the latest batch of Cooper clippings I have been able to dig up. Among the items of interest are the earliest newspaper story I've found so far that mentions him: as I had suspected, he wrote the script of an Empire Builders episode that takes place in the Butte copper mines -- just like the QP story, "A Mile High and a Mile Deep." Another interesting discovery: Cooper worked as a script doctor on a 1941 audience participation show.]________________________________

[February 9, 1930 Oakland Tribune]

Radio Drama On Air Monday

What is believed to be the most difficult bit of radio melodrama thus far attempted will be heard during the Empire Builders presentation over the NBC coast-to-coast system tomorrow, between 7:30 and 8 p. m. on KGO.

The dramatic climax of the play, which revolves about a copper mine a half mile underground at Butte, Montana, comes when a half-mad employee attempts to drive an elevator over the top of its frame on the trip up from the depths of the mine at a mile-a-minute pace.

Virginia Gardiner plays the role of the heroine whose quick wit saves the situation. Musical effects will be provided by Andy Sannella and his orchestra, while sound effects will be contributed by Harry Edison, sound effect technician. Harvey Hays will narrate the story.

W. O. Cooper, a Chicago writer, made a special trip to the Butte mines to secure material for this drama.

With whistling solos by Bob MacGimsey to complete the program, the broadcast will be heard through NBC system stations: KGO. Oakland; KHQ, Spokane; KOMO, Seattle; KGW, Portland, and KFI, Los Angeles on the Pacific coast. ________________________________

[November 14, 1935 Oakland Tribune]

QUITS SEVEN SHOWS

BETTY LOU GERSON had to resign from the casts of seven shows to play First Nighter leads. The script writer had her killed off the Girl Alone series, and she bowed out of "Nickelodeon," "Lights Out," "Flying Time," "Kilmer Family," "Curtain Time" and "Princess Pat." Through a special NBC-client dispensation, she is permitted to remain on the MARY MARLIN show heard over CBS ...________________________________

[April 28, 1936 Lima (OH) News]

... The 200th episode of Flying Time, authentic aviation serial broadcast over WEAF, will be heard at 6 p. m. The stories are written by Willis Cooper. ...________________________________

[September 2, 1937 Chicago Tribune]

... Fred Ibbett has left Chicago to produce Hollywood Hotel in the west. He has asked Willis Cooper, former author of Lights Out, to write this show. ...________________________________

[July 29, 1938 Port Arthur News]

... Only Singer Frances Langford and Producer Brewster Morgan of the Hollywood Hotel cast have been re-signed for the series when it returns to the kilocycle lanes in the fall. ...________________________________

[November 17, 1940 NYT]

A Friday night series of thirty-minute dramatizations based on contemporary literature will be introduced over WABC's hook-up this week. The "Playhouse" scheduled for 9:30, is to be directed by Diana Bourbon with George Zachary assisting in production, while John Houseman and Wyllis Cooper will prepare the scripts.

The opening play, Wilbur Steele's "Life Is So Little," will co-star Walter Huston and Donald Cook. Among those signed to appear in later presentations are Miriam Hopkins, Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March and Florence Eldridge.________________________________

[November 18, 1940 Washington Post]

Listen! with Glynn

The Columbia Broadcasting System--which of course means WJSV in Washington--already is well in the lead in its presentations of great dramatic shows. For instance, "Helen Hayes' Theater," "Lux Radio Theater," "Silver Theater," the "Screen Guild Show," "First Nighter," "The Columbia Workshop," "Big Town" and--oh, well--lots of others.

But it's adding another the twenty-ninth of this month which will equal them in splendor. It's to be heard every Friday at 9:30 p. m. and is to be called "Campbell's Playhouse"--sponsored by guess which soup company.

To give you a general idea, already contracted to appear in the dramatic programs are Lionel Barrymore, Walter Huston, Miriam Hopkins, Donald Cook, Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March, Florence Eldridge, with dozens of others of like caliber also scheduled to appear.

John Houseman, who collaborated with Orson Welles in the distinguished presentations of the Mercury Theater, is to do the radio adaptations, along with Wyllis Cooper. Diana Bourbon, who's responsible for a great many superlative radio dramas is to do the directing.

Together they're to take popular current stories -- Wilbur Daniel Steele's "Good Housekeeping" story, "Life Is So Little," for one; Vina Delmar's "Air Mail to Red Riding Hood," for another -- and do very well by them dramatically.________________________________

[December 13, 1940 Washington Post]

... C.B.S. presents a new serial comedy, "Charlie and Jessie," derived from several well-liked Short Short Story playlets. Donald Cook and Florence Lake are the title players.________________________________

[January 29, 1941 Variety - A recording of this episode apparently survives at the Library of Congress.]

Wyllis Cooper, who writes 'You're in the Army Now,' has adapted the Libbie Block story, 'Mrs. Fane Comes of Age,' into a radio skit for use on the Campbell Playhouse, Jan. 31. .... William Gargan and Mary Astor scheduled to play the leads.

[Other Variety items about this season's Campbell Playhouse include: Orson Welles complaining publicly about the premiere's use of the Tchaikovsky theme associated with him and the Mercury Theatre; director Diana Bourbon taking ill and being replaced full time by George Zachary; a negative review of Shaw's "Pygmalion" starring Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh; a positive review of Philip Barry's "You and I" starring Walter Huston, called an unusually adult drama for radio. It isn't clear that Cooper had anything to do with either of these episodes, though. He left the series by March 1941.]________________________________

[March 5, 1941 Variety]

Wyllis Cooper, who scripted 'Lights Out' for three years, will tell Graham McNamee how horror yarns are concocted for radio on 'Behind the Mike' next Sunday (9) ...________________________________

[March 5, 1941 Variety - This is a review of a audience participation series that Cooper was called upon to "doctor."]

Having turned up with a winner for Mars candy in the Dr. I. Q. show, the Grant agency here again comes through with a plan to sell the new Mars product, Forever Yours. Hitting on one of the hottest radio periods of the week, the Mars outfit appears to have a good program plan in 'What's Your Idea?'

Going on the assumption that everybody has in the back of his head an idea for a radio program, the sponsor is offering weekly prizes to the three best program ideas submitted each week. In addition to the $100 prize, the winners are assured that if the program idea is sold to a sponsor the winners get that money, too. In this way, the financial reward may be far up in the thousands and for this reason should be a great lure to the listeners, and figures as a cinch to sell those Forever Yours bars since two wrappers are necessary to enter.

Each week the three winning ideas are dramatized, and this is the part of the program that must be speeded up considerably. Handling lines in one of the initial week's dramatizations was Simone Simon, but she was pretty sad in her work, and completely overshadowed by the downright professional work of the regular radio troupers.

For the real entertainment of the program there was Jackie Heller and there was the Ted Fio-Rito orchestra, both veterans of this job of entertaining the public.

Those give-aways for the program ideas will get the listeners and sell the product; that's a cinch. But after the listeners are there and are ready to send in their wrappers, Fio-Rito band and Heller will hold 'em, satisfy 'em and pour out the long-lasting goodwill of entertainment.

Fio-Rito orchestra remains an excellent aggregation, and did particularly well in accompanying Jackie Heller who looks ripe for another real success ride on the radio. Always a good singer and a swell radio personality, Heller is a genuine asset to this program and will do much for it.

Nelson Olmstead of the general m.c. and handles his assignment satisfactorily, even though on occasion his ebullience goes overboard.

Gold.________________________________

[April 2, 1941 Variety]

WYLLIS COOPER TO GRANT, CHI

Wyllis Cooper, until recently author of 'You're in the Army Now,' has joined the Grant agency, Chicago as radio exec. He was called from New York on a temporary doctoring job for the agency's 'What's Your Idea?' program for Mars candy, but was subsequently offered and accepted the executive assignment.

Before doing NBC's 'Army' series, Cooper wrote some of the 'Campbell Playhouse' programs and the same account's 'Short Short Story' series.________________________________

[April 23, 1941 Variety]

'What's Your Idea' Goes

Chicago, April 22.

Grant agency here last week picked up option for another 13-week stretch of NBC-Red network time for the Mars Co. Forever Yours program 'What's Your Idea?'

Second 13-week stretch starts as of June 15.________________________________

[The April 23, 1941 Variety reports that Brice Disque will write the scripts for a summertime Latin American propaganda program on NBC. But by the time the series debuts the following month as "Good Neighbors," Cooper is the author.]________________________________

[May 29, 1943 Fitchburg Sentinel]

News of the Networks

Postwar radio planning at this time can be nothing but guess work, says Wyllis Cooper, director of NBC's program development ...________________________________

[August 14, 1947 Portland (ME) Press Herald syndicated column item]

INSIDE RADIO by Paul Luther

Set as an eight week replacement for vacationing Henry Morgan, Lights Out has disappeared from the kilocycles without ceremony or notice. It seems that the big boss of the pen and razor company sponsoring the chiller-diller just couldn't take any more and ordered the fuses blown after only three performances, thereby setting some kind of a record for the shortest series in network radio. ...________________________________

[Here's the dates, titles and casts of Cooper's 1950 "Escape" TV series as they appear in the New York Times listings:]

... Film critic Judith Crist, bestowing laurels on deserving mummers of the movies just the other week, recalled how the early film work of Lee Marvin, a decade ago revealed the seeds of his current eminence. Fifteen years ago, lucky viewers saw him act with no less authority, if not quite full maturity, in television dramas for the greatly gifted producer-director-writer, the late Wyllis Cooper, in his eerie, avant-garde shows, "Stage 13" and "Escape." ...________________________________

[December 20, 1966 Chicago Tribune column]

TOWER TICKER by Herb Lyon

... Bob Brown, Leo Burnett ad exec, is piqued over what he calls "the inference" here and elsewhere that visiting Arch Oboler originated the old, macabre Lights Out network radio show. Oboler, promoting the Wed. opening of his weird new flicker, "The Bubble" at the Woods, is first to admit the show was the brain-child of the late, talented Chicago scripter, Willis Cooper. Arch took over later. ...

Another year, another trip to the library. Been reading Elizabeth McLeod's book, The Original Amos 'n' Andy, and it looks like Cooper's 11-10-1930 Empire Builders episode isn't the earliest surviving recording of a network radio drama. McLeod quotes dialogue from the uncirculated dramatic portions of a 1928 Eveready Hour air check that survives at the Edison National Historic site. Oh, well._______________

Notes on Chappell-Cooper '33

Dug up some nuggets from old issues of Variety, mostly 1933, and here is my report, if anyone's interested:

As 1932 draws to a close, Messrs. Chappell and Cooper are half a continent apart. Cooper (or "William Cooper" as Variety regularly lists him every time an issue includes its radio directory in early '33) is the continuity director at Chicago's CBS-WBBM (Wrigley Building Whitehall 6000), where he apparently oversees writers like Fritz Blocki (whose "Chickie," starring Irene Wicker, gets a rave review from Variety for being adult and sophisticated, only to be canceled after ten weeks). Chappell (or "Chap Chapple" as he is referred to in one article) is a talent booker at NBC's artist bureau in New York and is described as "one of the oldest dramatic production men in radio."_______________

[December 27, 1932]

How It Works

Typical example of how artists become political footballs in the NBC Artist Service developed last week while the agency handling Best Foods was trying to frame a program for an audition. Discouraged from getting what it wanted, the commercial has turned to outside booking sources for its show.

Agency had already picked Harry Salter to handle the orchestral assignment and while scouting around for a girl warbler it peeled an eye on Irene Taylor. Obstacle here, as it later turned out, was that the singer had the wrong representative in the artists' bureau.

Up until the time it turned its attention toward Miss Taylor the agency had been doing its talent selection with Ernest Chappell of the network's booking staff. But Miss Taylor along with the Paul Whiteman band and the specialists in the Whiteman organization were under Ed Scheuing's direction.

Chappell had proposed Annette Hanshaw, who came under his booking authority. But the agency had the girl on another one of its programs and, anyway, it wanted Irene Taylor.

For Scheuing, the agency's preference developed a ticklish situation. Each booker in the artists' service had his own accounts to look after and his own set of performers to represent and for one booker to step into the other's preserves, regardless of the fact that all concerned are on the same payroll, is something that's against the rules.

Anyway, it was Annette Hanshaw, or else--and the agency took the latter._______________

[January 3, 1933]

Chappell Out

Ernest Chappell, program talent booker is out of the New York NBC artist bureau. Notice took effect Saturday (31). John Baab succeeds.

Chappell joined the network booking office at the same time that William Murray, predecessor to the present director of popular entertainment, Harold Kemp, came in. Previous to that Chappell booked talent and built programs for the Judson Radio Program Corp._______________

Chap Chapple, of the J. Walter Thompson agency, is here seeking picture names for the air. He will linger several weeks but is understood to be looking for prominent stars of secondary strength only. ..._______________

[May 16, 1933]

... Ernie Chappell, formerly booking manager at NBC, is now announcing the two Richfield programs. ...

[Presumably, the two programs Chappell announces for the Richfield Oil Company are: "The Richfield Reporter" with newsman Sam Hayes and "Country Club" which features sports commentary from Grantland Rice and music from Mary McCoy, soprano, and Betty Barthell, blues singer.]_______________

[July 4, 1933]

COOPER FREELANCING

Chicago, July 3.

Willis Cooper has resigned as chief of the continuity department of Columbia here. He continues, however, to author two CBS programs -- 'Railroads of America' and 'Lives at Stake.' [However, "Lives at Stake" is actually an NBC program. See below.]

Cooper will freelance._______________

[July 18, 1933]

WILLIS COOPER JOINS NBC

Chicago, July 17.

Willis Cooper who two weeks ago resigned as continuity editor of station WBBM (Columbia), has been named to a similar post at NBC here. He follows John Gihon who resigned.

NBC locally discussing chances for a midnight mystery serial to catch the attention of the listeners at the witching hour. It's an idea by Will Cooper, NBC continuity chief.

Considered for the spot is a new script, just being turned out, labelled 'Desert Quests.'_______________

[January 16, 1934]

Radio Chatter / Chicago ...

Bill Cooper finally set for his midnight mysteries over at NBC here. Starts this Friday (19) over WENR for a beginner. ...

[So, apparently, "Lights Out" didn't premiere on January 1st as some logs report.]

______________________________

Other news from Variety:

Jan '33 - Cooper's counterpart, Don Clark, CBS continuity director in New York, "responsible for a flock of script innovations in radio, such as the network's Laboratory Theatre [a forerunner of the Columbia Workshop] and rated as a top man in his line" is replaced by Ferrin Fraser (who is frequently listed in reference works along with Cooper and Arch Oboler as a writer for "Lights Out" even though I have never figured out why).

Also in January, "Eno Crime Club" moves from CBS to NBC, the "Spencer Dean" character is added to the cast, the friendly druggist on Amsterdam Avenue who recommends Eno salt is dropped from the commercials, and the show will now be recorded in New York by RCA for airing in the west (so the sponsor can save some money). Cooper worked on the 1940s "Crime Club" series but apparently not for this 1930s program with a similar name.

Feb '33 - Fred Ibbett, a BBC veteran who works with Cooper on shows like Empire Builders and Hollywood Hotel, is with the McCann-Erickson advertising agency. Sidney Strotz, who will soon be Cooper's boss, is appointed manager of NBC's Chicago artist bureau. A few months later, he is promoted to NBC Chicago program manager.______________________________

Here's what I've been able to find out about "Railroads of America" and "Lives at Stake," the two series mentioned in the July 4 article above:

According to Variety, "Railroads of America" runs on Monday and Thursday, 8:45-9 p.m., with music by the Westphal Orchestra and Glee Club, and is sponsored by a "joint railroad account." An advertisement in the June 28 Chicago Tribune calls the program "The Railroads on the Air" and invites us to 'Hear the "10 RAILROADERS" and a novel World's Fair Program' over WGN at 8:45 p. m. on Thursday, June 29. Later ads say the show will air "every MONDAY and THURSDAY to August 3rd inclusive." Another ad describes the content as "Old-time song favorites--thrilling news about the World's Fair." The Trib's radio listings call the program either "World's Fair Invitation" or "Invitation to the Fair." Examples:

"Invitation to the Fair" (July 13; listed as "Century of Progress Invitation" in New York Times)

"Invitation to the Fair," with the Railroaders' chorus and orchestra. (July 17)

.........

Meanwhile, "Lives at Stake," weekly half-hour dramatizations of "noted events in which men have faced death" (i.e., true-life adventure and suspense stories) sponsored by The General Tire and Rubber Co. and hosted by company president W. O'Neil, airs on NBC Red, not CBS. It runs Tuesday nights at 10 Eastern and premieres on April 18, 1933 with the story of Sgt. Alvin C. York.

On May 2, Variety reports that "Robert J. Casey of the Chicago Daily 'News,' continues to supply material for General Tire's NBC 'Lives at Stake' programs. But Bob White will write the scripts."

The May 7 Chicago Tribune reports that the musical end of the series "has been rebuilt, now featuring Hal Stokes' orchestra" along with tenor Charles Sears and "the blonde-blue trio, the Neil sisters."

A 1934 review of a similar series mentions that the initial format of "Lives at Stake" had to be changed because of problems dramatizing the lives of living people. The dramatic portion of the show was eventually reduced to a brief sketch.

Haven't been able to confirm Cooper's participation in the series but he may very well have worked on it after he resigned from CBS in June '33.

Scheduled first season episodes, from various newspaper listings:

Sgt. Alvin C. York (April 18)

"James Norman Hall, author, who was a lieutenant in the Lafayette Escadrille, and was shot down after bringing down an enemy plane" (April 25)

"the spectacular flight of Italian Air Minister Italo Balbo and his air armada" (July 25)

Burtis Juhl, Boy Scout (August 1)

Betty Zane (August 8)

"Captain Edgar Hamilton, one of two American officers with the Foreign Legion stationed at Mekness, Morocco, early in 1933" (August 15)

Richmond Pearson Hobson (August 22)

"the thrilling search made by Henry Morton Stanley, a New York reporter, for Dr. David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary who was lost in the wilds of Africa" (August 29)

Sam Davis (September 5)

"The bravery of Major Charles W. Whittlesey when during the World war he was cut off from supplies and aid for five days" with 463 officers and men, a New York regiment of the 308th Infantry known as the "Lost Battalion" (September 12)

General Nelson A. Miles (September 19)

Betty Zane (September 26)

Chicago motorman Arnold Klaesi "crawled out over No Man's Land ... under a withering fire and rescued a wounded lieutenant" during the World War. "Later this week he will be formally decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross at an American Legion ceremony." (October 3)

Bill Cooper finally set for his midnight mysteries over at NBC here. Starts this Friday (19) over WENR for a beginner. ...

[So, apparently, "Lights Out" didn't premiere on January 1st as some logs report.]

That has been my contention all along. Based on all the research I have done, I have yet to find any real indication the series began on January 1 (I'd like to know where that one started).

My current research points to February 7, 1934. The newspaper listings (which aren't always accurate) show "Clyde Lucas and his Orchestra" broadcast at midnight over WENR for the 19th and 26th. The first listing appears to show up on Feb 7th, a wednesday.

Actually, I think the series premiered prior to February 7. The radio critic of the Winnipeg Free Press reviewed it on February 2 and called it an "excellent presentation." Excerpts from his columns are in the thread titled "Lights Out ... Winnipeg?!"

Here's the latest batch of clippings, an unusually wide-ranging assortment:_______________

[December 15, 1928 Editor & Publisher]

Willis O. Cooper, formerly of Long & Jenkins, Chicago, has joined the copy department of McJunkin & Co.

[Haven't found out anything about Long & Jenkins but the other firm is the McJunkin Advertising Company of 228 North La Salle street, Chicago. One of its clients is the Great Northern Railroad, sponsors of "Empire Builders," which premieres a month later, in January 1929.]_______________

Here we have the gruff American sergeant with a heart of gold, the Spanish legionaire with rolling "Car-rambas!" punctuating every sentence, the pure and handsome American corporal, a lovely girl, a dashing French lieutenant with a third-year French accent, an Arab of penetrating philosophical outlook, stirring music, the eternal mystery of the great desert. Here we also have the mystery of why anyone should want to listen to such pedestrian hokum.

In each of the episodes I endured, the lines of action were so clumsily drawn that three minutes' listening to the opening was enough to predict the dramatic dénouement. In the last episode to receive my attention, the tripe-lined American sergeant, played by a Mr. Ray Appleby, who also directs this museum piece, was supposed to fall from an airplane and be killed. Then a bomb was dropped upon the man and exploded. Right then I decided if the gent was brought to life again at the close of the program to furnish the grand melodramatic finish, I would have ample excuse henceforth to devote my interest elsewhere. He was and I have. ..._______________

... Foreign Legion also switches to 8:30 WBBM Fridays beginning May 19, with the following cast: Willis Cooper as Mendoza (Cooper is also the writer). Jack Daly as Achmet, Stanley Andrews as Tchernov, Douglas Hope as Vibart, and Ray Appleby as the American sergeant. ..._______________

... Mr. [Jim] Cook [of the Press Relations department] took us in the studio (literally) to see the dramatic program "Desert Guns," one of Staff Continuist Bill Cooper's brainchildren, put on the air. Mr. Paquin, production man who sits behind the monitor's glass panel and directs the effort, said it was the first time the program had been "honored" with an audience and he didn't know how the actors (there were no actresses) would react, but if we were real quiet.

The announcer, a new Mr. Watson I believe, shouts "Four minutes to go," then "30 seconds," and then the ominous 'Chimes coming up" which stills the orch as if Mussolini had raised his hand from a Genoan balcony. The mike opened, Mr. Announcer, accompanied by kettledrums and with a hand on his right ear, tells the world that it is "Desert Guns" they are hearing, instead of ordinary kettle-drums.

If it weren't that it was so damb [sic] interesting, I would have regretted seeing the broadcast. It is all so deluding. The orchestra, after a march introduction, starts stamping their feet, playing they are French Foreign Legionnaires. Al Hoofingham (real name unknown), taking the part of a lieutenant marches his company realistically in from the right and up to the mike. Then the drama begins with Cliff Soubier (of First Nighter, Minstrels and Ole Pappy fame) as a tough Yankee sergeant.

Keeping their eyes on the script and indulging in fittingly fantastic facial contortions, the actors laugh and look at the orch for appreciation of the funny lines, and the orch boys are gentlemen enough to respond gracefully with silent belly laughs. Once, in a throat-throttling scene, Al Hoofingham actually did have his throat constricted by one of the cast. He came back from Beyond just in time to play the lieutenant again toward the last.

The sound-effects men in a show are a feature in themselves. Tennis sneaks caressing a pile of Lake Michigan sand indicates that Legion feet are marching on this Arabian desert. A roller skate extended to full length and snapped back again is supposed to symbolize a shell-chamber of a gun being clicked open and shut for inspection. A squeaky miniature door, latch and all, impersonates a bigger brother. ..._______________

[November 10, 1933 Brainerd (MN) Daily Dispatch]

V. F. W. Program for Armistice Day

Men who served together in the 33rd Division in the drive on St Mihiel during the closing days of the World war will re-enact those scenes in a dramatic sketch, "Cease Firing," which will be a feature of the Armistice day air program sponsored from 11:30 to 12 o'clock noon, central standard time, on Armistice day, November 11, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U. S.

The program, over a national hookup of the National Broadcasting company, will be dedicated to the two million young Americans in the A E F, Commander Ralph Freeman of Mahlum-Hanson Post 1647 announced here today.

Because "Cease Firing" is based on a true Armistice day story, written by Willis Cooper, continuity editor of the NBC, and himself a member of the American forces in France, it will have a universal appeal for all overseas veterans and for the public in general, Commander Freeman said.

Of equal interest to all overseas veterans will be the other important feature of the Armistice Day program -- an address by Commander-in-Chief James E. Van Zandt, Altoona, Pa. The program also will include appropriate musical selections by the United States Navy band. _______________

[February 15, 1939 Variety]

Strotz Goes West On Willis Cooper Action

Chicago, Feb. 14.Sidney Strotz, NBC midwest chieftain, just returned from confabs in the eastern headquarters, leaves for the Coast later this week.

Going west to sit in on coming commission suit NBC has against Willis Cooper, scribbler.

... Another original short, short story dramatization will be written to co-star radio's leading lady, Joan Blaine, and Broadway star Donald Cook. Miss Blaine and Mr. Cook made their first co-starring appearance last week in "The Last Man." ..._______________

[December 15, 1940 Circleville (OH) Daily Herald]

Monday, the Short, Short Story program on KFAB, aired Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a. m., will abandon its guest star policy and present Donald Cook and Florence Lake as "Charlie and Jessie" in a serial drama based upon the life of a newly married, irresponsible couple._______________

[September 8, 1941 Charleston Gazette]

George Barnes, exponent of the amplified guitar, and Wyllis Cooper, rotund author and racontuer, will highlight the capers of the "Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street" at 8:05 p. m. "Professor" Barnes, starred on several NBC shows from Chicago, will be piped into the "Basin Street" session from the Windy City. It marks the first time a guest act has been picked up outside the studios. "Dr." Cooper, author of NBC's "Lights Out" horror tales will appear as guest intermission commentator. _______________

[Transcript of Cooper's 8 September 1941 appearance on "The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street"]

HOST JACK McCARTHY: [at the opening] ... As guest intermission commentator, we are proud to present the distinguished author, Dr. Wyllis Cooper, the only musicologist alive who can bite his nails with gloves on. ...

JACK McCARTHY: [at the intermission] ... As guest intermission speaker, we are privileged to have with us Dr. Wyllis Cooper, famous author-musicologist, who never goes anywhere without being followed by a man in a white coat with brass buttons. Dr. Cooper?

COOPER: Good evening.

I will tell you about the emotional impact of The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street on people named Eddie. ...

The first is the people named Eddie who like the program. They listen to it.

The second is the people named Eddie who don't like it. They turn off their radio.

The third is the people named Eddie who can take it or leave it lay. They haven't got a radio anyway, so they play pool. ...

The principal thing I don't like about these concerts is the script. What I mean is, a script is all right, but why clutter it up with all that music?

(QUICKLY, ASIDE) Say, what's that man in the white coat with the brass buttons starin' at me for? Tell him I went THAT way.

(RESUMES COMMENTARY) I know a LOT about music. Do you know Glen Gray, the Casa Loma fellow? Well, when Glen Gray and I were little fellows -- believe it or not, I was little once -- in Pekin, Illinois, Glen Gray and I had an orchestra. I was the drummer, hey hey! And Glen played C-melody jug. That's how I got to be a writer.

Well, nobody's invented any musical instruments in a hundred years except me. I invented a combination trombone and harp -- a trarp. ... They used to call me "Cooper, the Twerrific Twerp on the Twarp." ...

Let me tell ya about the trarp. It's seven feet long and it costs eight dollars. In the orchestra, they always place it between the woodwinds and the radiator. ... You play the trarp with your feet. The wonderful part of it is, the trarp doesn't make a noise -- it draws pictures. ...

(ASIDE) There's that man staring at me again with the white coat.

(RESUMES) Well, I also invented the boom-a-loom box. It's a percussion instrument, made out of teak. It's three feet square and a hundred and eighty-one feet long, and there's a cannonball inside it and you shake it! Hey hey. ...

(ASIDE) I wish that man in the white coat would go away with the brass buttons.

(RESUMES) In conclusion, it's been nice to fiddle around with you, if befuddling.

(SUDDENLY RANTING) But I'll have you know I'm an American citizen! I know my rights! I got a friend that's a juk-- a jud-- jug--! And he'll--

(TO MR. FANSHAW, THREATENING) Now, look here, Mr. Fanshaw, will you come along peaceful-like or do I have to use force?

(SUDDENLY MEEK) Okay, Mr. Fanshaw, I'm coming.

JACK McCARTHY: (AFTER A SLIGHT PAUSE) Thank YOU, Mr. Fanshaw.

(APPLAUSE)

MUSIC: (A FAREWELL FANFARE ... AND OUT)

(APPLAUSE ENDS)

JACK McCARTHY: Dr. Cooper, we might add, is a radio author. ..._______________

[April 23, 1943 Salamanca Republican-Press - syndicated RADIO Day by Day column by C. E. Butterfield]

Wyllis Cooper, author-producer of the official Army hour, has stepped from that post to become the head of NBC's new program development division. _______________

[May 23, 1943 Fresno Bee]

The rush has already started to NBC's Wyllis Cooper, who heads the new program development division to find new ideas and new talents. Newcomers and veterans alike are making a bee line to Cooper. Says he: "Phonies will get the air, talent will go on the air." ..._______________

[From a 1945 issue of The Photographic Journal of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain]

TELEVISION AND THE KINEMA

By G. Parr, A.M.I.E.E.

Editor of "Electronic Engineering"

Delivered 26 January 1945 to the Kinematograph Section

... In a recent paper in the Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng. [Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers] Wyllis Cooper considers that if television is to compete with the film as a medium of entertainment it will have to attain the present standard of film presentation with all the intricacies of dissolves, close-ups and track shots. In passing it may be mentioned that these devices were already being experimentally tried by the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1939 and seemed to offer few difficulties except those of expense and apparatus. ..._______________

"Quiet, Please" on the Mutual Broadcasting System on Mondays (not carried in West), is a rather remarkable series of dramas whose unexpected twists and curious inflections put them almost in a class apart. Wyllis Cooper, who writes all of them, has a puckish sense of humor and a deep interest in the macabre. His stories, which seldom involve more than one or two persons, one of which is always played by Ernest Chappell, start out quietly, almost conversationally as if he were addressing you personally in your living room.

Some of these stories are almost parodies on other radio programs except they are too ingenious to be entirely satiric. Here's an example of a recent one about a private detective named Kramer who started off addressing his audience:

"I wouldn't be caught dead in an alley with a derby hat. I have a .45 automatic which I never refer to as a roscoe or a rod. I have never been called a private eye. I must admit I do have a secretary. Here she is ..."

NOVEL SECRETARY

The secretary was none of your crisp, efficient glamour babes that clutter up all the whodunits on the air. She was an ancient and tired old crow who responded invariably to her boss's ring with: "Well, whaddaya want?"

"This is my secretary," introduced Kramer. "Mrs. McIlvaine, how many jewel robberies have I solved?"

Having thus demolished all the traditions of the mystery story racket in one minute, Cooper settled down to his story. Scarcely had Mrs. McIlvaine departed than a visitor glided in, a timorous, fussy, apologetic little man who announced that he didn't know who he was and didn't particularly care.

GHOSTLY PROBLEM

"What do you want me to find out?" inquired Kramer.

"I want to know who murdered me," said the little man mournfully. "Someone should be punished."

There was a pause as this rather surprising statement sank in, and then the little Milquetoast of a ghost added gently: "Oh, please, sir! Don't call the police. I should just disappear. You'd look very foolish."

"I don't believe in ghosts," declared Kramer belligerently.

"You mean you didn't believe in ghosts," sighed the dim little ghost.

After a justifiable hesitation, Kramer agreed to take on the unusual case, chiefly because his polite little visitor waved a sheaf of banknotes in his face. "Where does this money come from?" asked Kramer, after making sure it was negotiable, not ectoplasmic, currency.

"I ... I really don't know," said the ghost in distressed tones. "I seem to have a good deal of it. No good to me, of course. Just find out who murdered me and you can have it all."

$1,000,000 FEE

It was not an easy case. The ghost not only didn't know his name but also had no idea where or when he was murdered. Not much to go on. Nevertheless, Kramer agreed in return for a $1,000,000 fee which the ghost produced rather casually in large bills, to track down the murderer and then to kill him in person rather than hand him over to official organizations of justice. Just how he did this is too long a story but he did track down the murderer. The murderer, Kramer discovered, was himself. It had happened years earlier in a drunken brawl which neither murderer nor murderee remembered. This explained why the little ghost knew so little about himself. The story ended with the little ghost pleading insistently with Kramer to carry out the second half of his bargain.

Most of the "Quiet, Please" dramas are weird, ingenious, and intimate affairs. Not all of them are as creepy as this one and even when they are, Cooper usually takes the curse off by injecting a wry humor. Above all they are pure radio._______________

[October 12, 1948 Syracuse Herald-Journal "Good Listening" radio column - Yeah, Syracuse is Chappell's hometown but not only does the local radio station pre-empt his show but the local newspaper can't even spell his name correctly:]

HERE ARE the answers to questions sent in by "A Radio Fan":

Ernest Chapel's [sic] Quiet Please program is now heard over the American Broadcasting Company Sundays at 5 P.M , but is not carried locally due to a local record show on WAGE at that time. ..._______________

[October 1948 Walter Winchell syndicated column "On Broadway"]

... The scripters of "Quiet Please" (a hoodunit) merit a pat on their typewriters ..._______________

[January 19, 1949 Oakland Tribune - John Crosby's syndicated column]

... Wyllis Cooper, the talented writer of the program, "Quiet, Please," writes in to complain that the giveaway emcees — the Messrs. Parks, Seymour, Collier, Moore -- seem to have established a new unit of currency -- the ollar. "You just listen," challenges Cooper. "They all say it -- two thousand ollars, one hundred ollars, fide ollars. This is subversive."

I agree. Fide ollars is especially subversive. What can a man buy these days with only fide ollars?_______________